My impression of the Watson case, like that of Ellis, is that the justice system stubbornly refuses to accept the possibility of a miscarriage of justice. Maryanne Garry, pyschology lecturer and one of the founders of the Innocence Project here, made a comment some years back arguing that in the US it was widely understood and recognised that wrongful convictions happened, but that wasn't the case here (maybe by the wider public but not by those with the power to correct miscarriages).

She also appeared on TV (I think it was Holmes) at the time of the trial and defended the position that witnesses such as the water taxi driver can be wrong, even if they are confident in their statement and you'd expect their knowledge and expertise to rule out such a thing. Human memory and how its created is a complex thing.

I wouldn’t go that far, but really I think the media needs to have a good hard look at itself over day after day of not-particularly-useful “no arrest yet in Kahui case” coverage. I know Police officers who were peripherally involved in that case, and really think a good chunk of the public (and media) need to be reminded that cop shows/forensic procedural on television are NOT DOCUMENTARIES. Of course, you’re damned for “not getting results” fast enough for the Six O’Clock News, but if you don’t get a conviction off a weak case then you get it from the other end.

I've just been watching a Danish drama called Forbrydelsen (The Killing or The Crime - I've seen it translated both ways). Great drama - series 1 is 20 hours of TV to solve one murder, twisting and turning as the cops alternate between incisive investigation and screwup. The Wire quality, though you have to focus as its all in subtitles. A fairer representation of the mixed ability of the police and their attempts to solve these crimes than your nicely boxed NCIS, Law and Order etc.

There's been an American version done too, but reviews are much less flattering.